The Ross Adams Mine is a historical uranium-thorium site located on Kendrick Bay in the Tongass National Forest on the southeastern slopes of Bokan Mountain, about 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Hydaburg and 38 miles (61 km) southwest of Ketchikan, Alaska. The mine lies within the Kendrick Creek watershed near the southern end of Prince of Wales Island, and is accessible via an abandoned road leading to the head of West Arm Kendrick Bay. Named in 1879 by William H. Dall of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the bay honors Captain John Kendrick, an American sea captain during the Revolutionary War. In 1788-1789, Kendrick participated with Robert Gray in exploring and fur trading in the Pacific Northwest using the vessels Columbia Rediviva and Lady Washington.
The Ross Adams ore deposit outcrops on the southeastern flank of Bokan Mountain. In 1956, mining began with an open pit at an elevation of 900 feet (274 m). From 1957 to 1971, three underground adits, or tunnels, were operated intermittently by various mining companies at elevations of 900 feet (274 m), 700 feet (213 m), and 300 feet (91 m). The mines produced approximately 650 tons (590,000 kg) of uranium ore. Ore from all levels was conveyed via haul roads to staging areas and barge loading docks on the north shore of West Arm Kendrick Bay.
The Bokan Intrusive Complex, home to the Ross Adams deposit, contains rare earth elements as well as uranium and thorium. Rare earth elements are specialty metals primarily used in technology applications. China currently controls more than 95% of global production, sparking interest in establishing a domestic supply. Thorium-based nuclear power generation mainly relies on the nuclear fission of uranium-233, produced from thorium. Proponents argue that a thorium fuel cycle offers advantages over a uranium fuel cycle, including thorium’s greater abundance, superior physical and nuclear properties, and reduced nuclear waste production. Mineral exploration continues in the Bokan Mountain region for rare earth elements and thorium deposits. Read more here and here. Explore more of Ross Adams Mine and Kendrick Bay here: